Blogging Friends…. So last month, I changed my alias from ‘Raelyn’
to ‘Mary Lou’!! Well…. I decided that since Raelyn has been a loyal, intricate,
faithful part of my Life {and me} as an artist for over four years…. But I
actually ‘created’ her in November 2010…. She deserved a proper ‘sendoff’. So I
wrote Raelyn’s eulogy!! Let me make one thing clear…. Because Raelyn was me in
every single way, shape and form, then her achievements, her success, her Life
is mine!! Let me tell you something…. Although it felt weird to write my own
eulogy? Strangely enough? It also felt amazingly therapeutic!! For Blogging
Friends and Followers who read my fictional stories—if you suffer from
Depression or experience low self-esteem issues—I highly recommend writing your
own eulogy and memorial service/funeral!! Why? Because a little introspective
self-giving praise and words of affirmation will boost your confidence!! I
promise!! This is an emotionally autobiographical story…. It is a fictional
story. Peace out, Mary Lou
“A wonderful Life”
Changing seasons. Just like with Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, Life certainly has several of them. Because, to quote Ecclesiastes 3:1…. ‘For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven….’ Pete Seeger even wrote about this in his beautiful song titled ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’, which was made popular by The Byrds. Therefore, you must continuously reinvent yourself throughout Life’s changing seasons!! Because, as versatile musician, singer, and poetic songwriter, Bob Dylan once said…. ‘Nothing stays where it is for very long. Trees grow tall, leaves fall, rivers dry up and flowers die. New people are born every day. Life doesn’t stop.’
Note Number One…. By the way? According to my Baby Name Book,
‘Mary Lou’ means ‘blessed’!! That is perfect….
Note Number Two…. I’ve mentioned
that I disappeared during The River Challenge for ‘ten months’. Correction…. I actually disappeared—mostly—for one
year and three months!! Yikes!!
Note
Number Three…. My heart is in Las Vegas right now, with every
single beautiful soul who was killed, with every single person
who lost their loved ones, with every single survivor, and with Jason
Aldean. Concerts are supposed to be one safe place
where we go to forget our problems…. And just have fun…. What
is the world coming to these days? I cannot help but wonder…. Come on up
for the risin’, come on up, lay your hands in mine, come on up for the risin’,
come on up for the risin’ tonight…. {Bruce Springsteen, 'The Rising'}
“A wonderful Life”
Changing seasons. Just like with Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, Life certainly has several of them. Because, to quote Ecclesiastes 3:1…. ‘For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven….’ Pete Seeger even wrote about this in his beautiful song titled ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’, which was made popular by The Byrds. Therefore, you must continuously reinvent yourself throughout Life’s changing seasons!! Because, as versatile musician, singer, and poetic songwriter, Bob Dylan once said…. ‘Nothing stays where it is for very long. Trees grow tall, leaves fall, rivers dry up and flowers die. New people are born every day. Life doesn’t stop.’
So, as its seasons come and its seasons go, I—Mary Lou—have felt the
need to reshape things!!
“A wonderful Life,” I said, “That is what Raelyn lived!! From
‘Monkeys In The Woods’ to ‘Keep On Keepin’ On’, she wrote thirty-eight
fictional stories throughout less than four year’s time as an artist!! How many
authors can say that?! Most likely not many, because Raelyn was an insanely
prolific writer!! She started out creating children’s stories…. But eventually
Raelyn threw the word ‘genre’ away and freely wrote from her heart, soul and
mind!! Love stories….? Dramas….? Hallmark movie-like feel-good stories….? Whatever
she was in the mood to express? Raelyn wrote it….!!”
I—Mary Lou—was inside Faith, Hope & Love Community Church giving
Raelyn’s eulogy.
“Yes….” I continued, “It was a wonderful Life!! However. Like with
George Bailey, Raelyn did not always feel as though she lived a wonderful Life.
How so? For Raelyn’s Life was not sans emotional and mental issues which ate at
her. Because like many—if not most—artists, she was an introspective ‘thinkin’
fool’ {to quote versatile musician, singer, and poetic songwriter Bruce
Springsteen} and she felt a lot. Raelyn suffered from ‘mood swing-infused pity
parties’ {which was a phrase that she coined} throughout her adult Life. During
a particularly low season in Raelyn’s existence emotionally, she once fought
{tooth and nail} to keep her love of writing alive when she did not feel like
creating fictional stories anymore. Raelyn even mysteriously
disappeared—mostly—for roughly one year and three months. During which she went
on a time-travelling ‘soul searchin’, rock ‘n roll healin’ journey’ to 1980
called The River Challenge. This experience was Life-changing for Raelyn
in more ways than one….”
“Because, during The River Challenge, Raelyn learned that she
possessed a heart of stone which needed to be softened….”
“As resulted from her ‘mood swing-infused pity parties’?” I
continued, “Raelyn experienced ‘emotional growing pains’ {which was also a
phrase that she coined}. What does ‘emotional growing pains’ mean, exactly?
What are they? Well…. Raelyn frequently gained maturity, perspective, plus she
gradually grew up emotionally, mentally—and spiritually—following those ‘mood
swing-infused pity parties’!! However. Just like with physical growing pains,
‘emotional growing pains’ always, always, always hurt. There were tears…. Raelyn
experienced very complex thoughts, feelings and emotions….”
“For, although deep within Raelyn there was pain, she somehow became
an even better version of herself….”
“So much personal Life happened during Raelyn’s one year, three
month-long disappearance, both positive and negative,” I continued, “She was
blessed to become an Aunt for the third time…. Her Grampa passed away…. During
a season when Raelyn only created five fictional stories, she wondered if she
even wanted to return as an artist…. Write for her Readers? Or write only for
herself? Those were the questions. Well, when Raelyn came back from her disappearance,
she did the best of both worlds…. Mostly…. Raelyn wrote for herself…. And for
her Readers, often mixing emotionally autobiographical with fictional….!!”
“Yes, despite experiencing seemingly countless ‘emotional growing
pains’ along the way, Raelyn did live a wonderful Life….!!”
“Sadly, that blessed existence came to an abrupt and tragic end on
Monday, September 4th, 2017,” I continued, “Raelyn was riding her
faithful sky blue-painted motorcycle {which she named ‘Triumph’} down the
dangerous, germ-infested, busy, litter-covered, noisy, graffiti-decorated,
potholed, homeless people-residing, filthy, Highway 9-2-13. Now, September 4th
was Labor Day, so Raelyn had decided that it would be an incredibly
soul-freeing idea to take off on her own…. Yes, all alone…. With just a
journal, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners…. Plus her complex thoughts,
feelings and emotions. Sadly, Raelyn lost complete control over ‘Triumph’. As
resulted, she crashed, she burned and she died….”
“But, please dry your tears, dear friends, because Raelyn may be
gone, but this is not a funeral, we are celebrating a wonderful Life lived!!” I
finished.
‘Transformation’. If you were to look that word up in one of my
three Webster’s dictionaries {I’m a writer, apparently I collect them} it means….
‘To change the form or appearance of; To change the nature or character of;
To be or become changed’. Ah…. Like when a preborn baby within his or her
Mother’s womb gradually becomes an adorable child!! Ah…. Like when a tadpole
develops his legs and he transforms into an amazingly high-leaping frog!! Ah….
Like when a caterpillar develops her wings and she becomes an incredibly
beautiful, flitting, flower-obsessed butterfly!!
That is exactly what happened to me…. Raelyn was the caterpillar,
and I—Mary Lou—am now a butterfly, completely transformed!!